Customers who are deaf or hard of hearing
We have developed text-based communication, specialist accessories and mainstream products to improve accessibility for customers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Push to talk technology
Vodafone and the National Confederation of Deaf People in Spain have launched the Accessible BlackBerry® from Vodafone. This mobile service, based on ‘push to talk’ technology, allows deaf people to communicate in real time through emails, text and the BlackBerry® messenger, enabling users to send and receive instant messages anytime, anywhere. Beneficial price plans for deaf customers include a 50% discount on BlackBerry services, 100 free SMS text messages, a €9 monthly discount and no joining fee.
In the UK, our Mobile Textphone service enables deaf, hearing-impaired and speech-impaired customers to have real-time conversations with hearing people in text format. It uses the RNID (a UK charity for deaf and hard of hearing people) Typetalk service. The Textphone makes it possible for customers who are deaf or hard of hearing to call their bank or doctor – calls that people prefer to make for themselves. The service brings people closer together because all Vodafone customers can make calls to people who use Textphones, using their standard Vodafone mobile. We also provide a Textphone service in Australia and New Zealand.
Vodafone Spain provides a service called ‘Dictate SMS’ that transfers voice messages into SMS. This is very useful for customers who are deaf or hard of hearing and also helps people with reduced mobility that find writing SMS messages difficult.
Making mobiles compatible with hearing aids
A study in 2005/06 into hearing aid and mobile phone compatibility found that some hearing aid users experience interference when using a mobile phone. The level of interference depends on the type of hearing aid and mobile phone being used. 3G handsets and 'flip' or 'clamshell' handsets generally lead to less interference.
Vodafone Spain worked with FIAPAS (the Spanish Association of Parents and Friends of People with Hearing Disabilities) to develop a product to allow people with 
hearing aids to use mobile phones. T-Loop works by transforming normal mobile phone signals into magnetic waves that can be interpreted by the hearing aid. This significantly improves the sound quality and volume. It also reduces background noise, often a problem for hearing aid users. More than 500 customers in Spain already use this service and, in 2007, Vodafone Spain launched a new version of the Vodafone 710 handset packaged with a T-loop. We also sell T-loop in New Zealand and the UK.
Supporting customers who use sign language
We have established a Communications Support Directory for customers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing in the UK. This provides local information and contact details for British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters, lip-speakers, speech-to-text reporters, communication support workers and deaf-blind interpreters.
Tariffs to improve accessibility
We have introduced accessibility tariffs in seven markets. These tariffs offer price reductions to customers who are deaf, blind or otherwise disabled.
They include data-only tariffs that enable customers who are deaf or hard of hearing to pay only for the services they use, meaning they do not have to pay for voice calls unless they want to. In Italy, the tariff includes 100 free SMS text messages a day to Vodafone Italy mobiles, 9-cent text messages to other mobiles and up to 500 minutes of videocalls a day to Vodafone Italy phones paying only the call setup fee (€0.19). Customers can apply by completing a medical certificate online or at any Vodafone outlet. Deaf customers in Greece receive a 50% reduction on their SMS tariff.
In 2007, we introduced subsidised tariffs for disabled people in the Czech Republic. In Portugal, customers certified with work incapacity of 80% or more have been able to receive 50% off their voice and SMS tariff since 2005, and off their mobile internet bill since 2007. In Hungary, we offer special accessibility tariffs in partnership with the national associations for blind, deaf and disabled people.
Emergency text messages
We are supporting a pilot study in the Algarve region of Portugal to offer an emergency contact number for the hearing impaired via SMS. The international emergency services number, 112, does not yet have text messaging capability. The pilot enables customers to text '911120000' to receive immediate help. This service will be rolled out across Portugal if the pilot is successful.